Okay, so I’ve been wanting to customize my Air Force 1s for a while now. I finally decided to go for it and do a simple white and blue colorway. Nothing too crazy, just something clean and fresh.
First, I grabbed a pair of all-white Air Force 1s. Gotta start with a blank canvas, you know? I made sure they were my size, obviously. Can’t be messing around with shoes that don’t fit.
Prepping the Shoes
Next up was prep. I wiped down the shoes with some leather preparer and deglazer. This stuff is supposed to get rid of the factory finish so the paint sticks better. I just used some cotton balls and rubbed it all over the parts I planned to paint. It smelled kinda strong, so I made sure to do it in a well-ventilated area, aka my garage.
Painting Time!
Now for the fun part – painting! I picked up some Angelus paint in light blue and, of course, white (just in case I messed up). I also got some painter’s tape to mask off the areas I wanted to keep white. I carefully taped along the edges of the swoosh, the back panel, and a small section near the laces. I am so bad at this, but I did it anyway.
- Careful taping.
- Thin paint layer.
- Repeat the painting.
- Waiting to dry.
I used a small, flat brush and started applying thin coats of the blue paint. It’s super important to do thin coats, otherwise, it gets all clumpy and gross. Trust me, I learned that the hard way on a previous project. I did about three coats, waiting for each coat to dry completely before doing the next. Patience is key here, even though I’m not the most patient person.
Finishing Touches
Once the blue was all dry, I carefully peeled off the tape. I also used some small brushes to add details.
Finally, I sprayed the whole thing with a matte finisher. This is supposed to protect the paint and make it more durable. Again, thin coats, and let it dry completely.
And that’s it! My custom white and blue Air Force 1s are done. They’re not perfect, but I’m pretty happy with how they turned out. It was a fun little project, and now I have a unique pair of shoes that I can rock. Might try some more complicated designs next time, but for now, I’m sticking with the simple stuff.
